The Arts for Health and Wellbeing Programme were delighted to host students from Cardiff University at Cardiff Royal Infirmary as part of the COMSC X SHARE GAME JAM.
The mixed group of Computer Science and History students spent the week visiting and exploring the history of three heritage sites in Cardiff as inspiration for the video games they would create at the end of the week.
The student’s visit to Cardiff Royal Infirmary began with a tour of the site exploring the main hospital and chapel. After this the students engaged with presentations about the history of Cardiff Royal Infirmary, the work of the Arts for Health and Wellbeing Programme and the relationship between games and health care.
Using copies of photographs taken over the past hundred years, the students then created paper prototypes of simple, existing games, incorporating a Cardiff Royal Infirmary historical twist.

The day of workshops was hosted by Arts Fundraising Support Officer, Bex Betton, who is a Women in Games Ambassador and continues to have an active role in the Cardiff games industry.
“It was a pleasure to host the students at Cardiff Royal Infirmary and share both my games industry knowledge as well as our current heritage projects at the site. I was so impressed by the creativity the students showed in creating their own prototypes, they were so much fun to play!”
-Bex Betton, Arts Fundraising Support Officer

Towards the end of the week, the students created games based on the heritage of Cardiff Royal Infirmary, CAER Heritage and Grange Pavilion.
The game inspired by Cardiff Royal Infirmary is called ‘Count Down to Christmas’ and is based on the below photograph of Christmas day at the Infirmary in 1935.
During the game the player must match a range of Christmas presents to the correct patient.


The students then shared the game and their experience at a virtual showcase.

“The COMSC X SHARE Game Jam is an annual event ran between the School of Computer Science (COMSC) and the School of History, Archaeology, and Religion (SHARE) at Cardiff University. It grants students the opportunity to work in a fun, relaxed environment where they can express their creativity through designing and developing serious games: games which aim to inspire, educate, and engage individuals with socio-cultural topics and organizations. The event fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge transfer across STEM and the Humanities. It was our pleasure to engage with Bex and the team at Arts for Health and Wellbeing this year and seeing the awesome games developed!”
-Dr Daniel J. Finnegan, Assistant Professor (Lecturer), Cardiff University
Thank you to the COMSC X SHARE GAME JAM team for making us part of such a collaborative and innovative project.
Roedd Rhaglen y Celfyddydau ar gyfer Iechyd a Lles yn falch iawn o groesawu myfyrwyr o Brifysgol Caerdydd i Ysbyty Brenhinol Caerdydd fel rhan o COMSC X SHARE GAME JAM.
Treuliodd y grŵp cymysg o fyfyrwyr Cyfrifiadureg a Hanes yr wythnos yn ymweld â thri safle treftadaeth yng Nghaerdydd ac yn archwilio eu hanes fel ysbrydoliaeth ar gyfer y gemau fideo y byddent yn eu creu ar ddiwedd yr wythnos.
Dechreuodd ymweliad y myfyrwyr ag Ysbyty Brenhinol Caerdydd gyda thaith o amgylch y safle yn archwilio’r prif ysbyty a’r capel. Ar ôl hyn bu’r myfyrwyr yn cymryd rhan mewn cyflwyniadau am hanes Ysbyty Brenhinol Caerdydd, gwaith Rhaglen y Celfyddydau ar gyfer Iechyd a Lles a’r berthynas rhwng gemau a gofal iechyd.
Gan ddefnyddio copïau o ffotograffau a dynnwyd dros y can mlynedd diwethaf, aeth y myfyrwyr ati i greu prototeipiau papur o gemau syml a oedd yn bodoli eisoes, gan ymgorffori elfen hanesyddol Ysbyty Brenhinol Caerdydd.

Cynhaliwyd y diwrnod o weithdai gan Swyddog Cymorth Codi Arian y Celfyddydau, Bex Betton, sy’n Llysgennad Merched mewn Gemau ac sy’n parhau i chwarae rhan weithredol yn niwydiant gemau Caerdydd.
“Roedd yn bleser croesawu’r myfyrwyr i Ysbyty Brenhinol Caerdydd a rhannu fy ngwybodaeth am y diwydiant gemau yn ogystal â’n prosiectau treftadaeth presennol ar y safle. Gwnaeth y creadigrwydd a ddangosodd y myfyrwyr wrth greu eu prototeipiau eu hunain greu cymaint o argraff arnaf, roedden nhw’n gymaint o hwyl i’w chwarae!”
-Bex Betton, Swyddog Cymorth Codi Arian y Celfyddydau

Tua diwedd yr wythnos, creodd y myfyrwyr gemau yn seiliedig ar dreftadaeth Ysbyty Brenhinol Caerdydd, Treftadaeth CAER a Phafiliwn Grange.
Enw’r gêm a ysbrydolwyd gan Ysbyty Brenhinol Caerdydd yw ‘Count Down to Christmas’ ac mae’n seiliedig ar y llun isod o ddydd Nadolig yn yr Ysbyty ym 1935.
Yn ystod y gêm rhaid i’r chwaraewr baru amrywiaeth o anrhegion Nadolig â’r claf cywir.


Yna rhannodd y myfyrwyr y gêm a’u profiad mewn arddangosfa rithwir.

“Mae’r COMSC X SHARE Game Jam yn ddigwyddiad blynyddol a gynhelir rhwng yr Ysgol Cyfrifiadureg (COMSC) a’r Ysgol Hanes, Archaeoleg, a Chrefydd (SHARE) ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd. Mae’n rhoi cyfle i fyfyrwyr weithio mewn amgylchedd hwyliog, hamddenol lle gallant fynegi eu creadigrwydd trwy ddylunio a datblygu gemau difrifol: gemau sy’n anelu at ysbrydoli, addysgu, a chynnwys unigolion mewn pynciau a sefydliadau cymdeithasol-ddiwylliannol. Mae’r digwyddiad yn meithrin cydweithrediad rhyngddisgyblaethol ac yn trosglwyddo gwybodaeth ar draws STEM a’r Dyniaethau. Roedd yn bleser gennym ymgysylltu â Bex a’r tîm yn y Celfyddydau ar gyfer Iechyd a Lles eleni a gweld y gemau gwych yn datblygu!”
-Dr Daniel J. Finnegan, Athro Cynorthwyol (Darlithydd), Prifysgol Caerdydd
Diolch i dîm COMSC X SHARE GAME JAM am ein gwneud yn rhan o brosiect mor gydweithredol ac arloesol.